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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27644242">Making Efforts</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/curseofbunny/pseuds/Lisbon'>Lisbon (curseofbunny)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Fae Deck [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Original Work</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 19:35:00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,418</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27644242</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/curseofbunny/pseuds/Lisbon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Elsie's got a few questions for the ace...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Fae Deck [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1981915</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Making Efforts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>rp between myself and furu!<br/>1418+140+195=1753bts</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Elsie checked her phone again, checking the time. Thanks to Honey's management she had arrived a few minutes early to the college cafeteria, a few students dotted around tables, clutching coffee's like life support or cramming for studies in the fluorescent lights, untouched pizza slices by their side.<br/>
Fixing her hair self consciously, Elsie found herself fretting with her appearance, trackie bottoms, a shirt and a hoodie was comfy at the time but as the time to meet her new "Captain" drew closer, the more and more stupid looking she felt.<br/>
"Stop fidgeting, you're only going to mess your hair up more" Honey hissed from the inside of Elsie's bag.</p><p>Dani was sipping some coffee at a table, petting the creases of her long red skirt and waiting. It was nice to get a message from one of her charges asking for help, she was always glad to give it. She spotted the girl and lifted one hand to wave her over. So they were both early, then. What a good sign! She offered a big smile as the girl drew closer. "It's early, isn't it?"</p><p>"Uh, yeah" Elsie gave a shy smile to her own shoes, still fretting with everything.<br/>
"I didn't want to keep you waiting." She looked up at Dani before awkwardly holding out her hand.<br/>
"I don't think we've properly met, I'm Elsie"</p><p>"Daniyah, Dani." Dani shook her hand. "Sit down, it's alright. I'm not trying to be elusive, I promise."</p><p>Elise nodded gratefully as she plonked herself down in front of Dani, The Captains all seemed nice, the brief one-word exchanged from her to them at the training session seemed good enough, and they were nice enough to invite her to the Halloween party, but images of every Cheerleader on TV kept floating through her head as she anticipated Dani to throw her coffee over her for a petty slight. Stupid TV!<br/>
"Thanks for meeting me, uh, I hope you weren't waiting too long"</p><p>Dani shook her head. "Nope. I was working on some stuff at home this morning, didn't sleep well. Woodworking at the crack of dawn is always interesting." She laughed and fussed with her skirt again. "So, how are you feeling?"</p><p>Elise thought for a moment, trying to find the best answer.<br/>
"Confused, I guess." She fidgets in her seat. "I know we've technically enlisted in an army and stuff, but I don't really know what that means. Honey told me we're going to be fighting evil fairies and stuff but I guess I just want to know more about what's going on?"</p><p>Dani nodded. "Of course. They showed up a while ago, and our fairies helped us to protect ourselves. Right now it's almost Iike a turf war, is the best way to put it. We don't know everything, I'll admit. But, what all do you want to know?"</p><p>"I 'unno" Elsie sort of admits with a shrug. "Do these evil fairies work with people too? Are we gonna be fightin' humans as well?" She begins</p><p>Dani shook her head. "I don't think so. Apep beat me in a fight once and I asked him that, and he kinda laughed. Said that the Queen doesn't like humans. Would kill one before they ever joined." She sipped her drink.</p><p>"Apep? Is that one of them?" Elsie asks, they don't like humans she thought, was that what this was about? "Evil" fairies out to hurt humans and others who sympathize with humans?</p><p>Dani nodded. "One of the generals. Like how us Aces are your generals, Apep is one of theirs. He's a snake."</p><p>"As in...an actual snake, or a conniving snake?" She asks, picking at her nails.</p><p>"Yes." Dani nodded. "Both."</p><p>"Ah, okay." She feels Honey stretch out of her bag and put her paws on her hands, more to stop her from picking at herself than for comfort, if the look at those eyes were anything to go by.<br/>
"Is...is there anyone else, we should look out for?"</p><p>"The rest of the generals, I guess. Apep. Chait and Minou. Pytheus." She shook her head. "They can be a bit... eccentric, but they're fae. They're weird enough to get you off your guard then they knock you down. We had to work hard this year to get strong enough to fight them."</p><p>"This year?" Elsie asks in shock, almost knocking Honey of off her lap.<br/>
"H-How long has this whole thing been going on?" She didn't know, but she thought it had only started this year or something, what with all the new members and everything.</p><p>"Right after Velma got here! A year." Dani nodded. "We've had it rough, but it's not so bad."</p><p>"A year...huh" Elise looks down at Honey in her lap, thinking about that. A year both seemed so incredibly long and so very, very short.<br/>
"A-and is there anyone else in the army? Like-like adults or something?" She asked, cringing at herself, she was technically an adult.</p><p>"What do you mean by that?" Dani leaned over and patted her knee. "We're all we've got. The fae can't do it on their own, the Queen's got the forest on lockdown."</p><p>"I mean, I don't know. Are the teachers involved? The police? Do they know about all this"? She asked, beginning to bite at her nails, ignoring Honey's irritated swipes of her paw to try and remove her hand from her mouth.</p><p>"Not really. We're handling it. Besides, what use are they? Just a bunch of people. No one in this town bats an eye, they just leave sugar and honey on their window sills and trust that everything will be alright. I was like that." She pulls back and rubs her arms, wishing she'd brought more layers. "Before the forest started coming closer, I didn't care."</p><p>"O-oh...so, so we're on our own" She took her hand from her mouth, brow furrowing in thought. That....that was worrying.</p><p>"Except for more people joining, getting stronger, maybe persuading them to join our side. The Queen's a piece of work, from how it sounds."</p><p>"Y-Yeah..." Elsie sighs.<br/>
"I know I said this before but, thank you. For talking about all this with me. It's....It's a lot to process" She admits with a meek smile.</p><p>"Of course." Dani nodded. "I know it's a lot, but... it'll get better. You know?"</p><p>"Y-yeah...thanks" She grimaced.<br/>
"Sorry, I keep thanking you but, I am grateful, that you're helping us and stuff" She nods, gently petting Honey.</p><p>"It's fine. Don't worry about it. Don't be... scared. Worst we have to do is fist fight some general every once in a while and show them that we're not gonna get swallowed up by the fae forest." She sipped her drink again. "It'll be alright."</p><p>"Y-yeah. I think-I think I can handle that" she lied, she didn't think she was that suited for this at all, but Honey was stubborn and seemed to see something in her, so she may as well do this.</p><p>"How about this." Dani nodded. "Before christmas, we'll spar together. You and me, we can come to my backyard. It'll be fun. Okay?"</p><p>"Y-You're sure? That's--is it okay"? She asks, both lighting up at the chance to catch up with her peers but anxious about doing something stupid in front of Dani.</p><p>Dani nodded. "Absolutely. And, if you want, I can show you what I mean about the forest. That alright with you?"</p><p>"Yes! Uh- yeah, yeah. Thanks" She agrees, slight excitement in her voice before reigning it in, no need to look desperate, she told herself.</p><p>"It'll be fun." Dani finished her drink. "And I can make you some tea."</p><p>"That'll be nice...yeah" She nods, a shy smile on her face. Dani really was so much nicer than she was expecting.</p><p>Dani stood. "I do hate to leave for now, but I have some classes. But, I'm not kidding. If you need anything, let me know. I don't bite. You're doing great. It's... it can be scary when you start, but you have us, and we've been through it this far. You feel any better?"</p><p>"I..." She hesitates, thinking for a moment.<br/>
"Yeah, I do. Thanks" She smiles more genuinely at Dani, grateful for her help.</p><p>Dani did a mock curtsy, giggling. "Good. See you soon. Don't forget to text me, okay?"</p><p>"R-Right" Elsie nodded, suddenly tensing at the stink eye the cafeteria lady was giving her for having a cat in the eating area.</p>
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